When you first look at the costs associated with sleep studies, purchasing a CPAP machine, and keeping up with necessary part and accessory replacements, it can be all too easy to decide that sleep apnea treatment is more expensive than it’s worth — especially if you don’t have good insurance coverage.
In reality, however, the opposite is true. For individuals with obstructive sleep apnea, using a CPAP device can do so much more than simply ensure you don’t feel fatigued and poorly rested. Preventing nighttime awakenings caused by sleep apnea can influence several other aspects of your health.
By sticking with your prescribed CPAP therapy, you can significantly lower your medical expenses in the long term, while enjoying a higher quality of life and improved overall health.
CPAP and Hospital Readmission
One common issue that can drive up medical costs is hospital readmission — when someone has to go back to the hospital for the same (or related) care within a short period after getting discharged from their initial visit. While the quality of care can affect the likelihood for readmission, so too can the patient’s underlying health.
A recent study of heart disease patients who also suffered from obstructive sleep apnea helps showcase how using a CPAP machine can make a difference for medical costs by lowering readmission rates.
As an article from Harvard Health Publishing explains, the analysis of 1,301 patients with both medical conditions who were put on CPAP therapy found that roughly 10 percent of patients were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of a heart disease hospitalization — significantly lower than the standard readmission rate. The individuals who consistently used their CPAP devices were “60 percent less likely to end up back in the hospital within a month if they were diligent about managing their apnea.”
Simply by following prescribed CPAP therapy, individuals with these medical conditions greatly reduce their risk for needing to be readmitted for further treatment. This naturally leads to much lower medical costs, as well as indirect financial savings that come from not having to miss work or other activities due to being in the hospital.
Preventing More Serious Medical Issues
While recent research has helped to highlight CPAP therapy’s ability to reduce the risk for hospital readmissions, perhaps the greatest cost-saving benefit of this treatment comes from the fact that it will help decrease your risk for developing more serious medical conditions in the first place.
In fact, the Mayo Clinic describes obstructive sleep apnea as a “serious medical condition” in large part because of the many complications associated with it. For example, excessive daytime fatigue could cause individuals to fall asleep while driving or working, increasing their risk of auto accidents or work-related accidents. Severe injuries could prove extremely costly, and causing a serious auto accident could even leave you liable for another person’s medical bills.
Untreated sleep apnea can have a major influence on heart health. As the Mayo Clinic’s article notes, “Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during obstructive sleep apnea increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. Many people with obstructive sleep apnea develop high blood pressure (hypertension), which can increase the risk of heart disease. The more severe the obstructive sleep apnea, the greater the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart failure and strokes. Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), which can lower blood pressure. If there's underlying heart disease, these repeated multiple episodes of arrhythmias could lead to sudden death.”
In other words, obstructive sleep apnea can greatly increase the likelihood of developing significant heart problems in the first place. By using CPAP treatment to control sleep apnea and taking other healthy steps, like exercising and eating a balanced diet, you can reduce your risk for these costly and potentially deadly complications.
Obstructive sleep apnea can also lead to complications with surgeries, negatively affect the use of certain medications, and even contribute to glaucoma and depression. Each of these issues will have a negative impact on your quality of life — and lead to more expensive medical bills.
By following your CPAP therapy program, you can reduce the frequency of medical visits for these preventable conditions, as well as avoid the need for more expensive treatment programs, leading to major financial savings in the long run.
The Benefits Outweigh the Costs!
While purchasing CPAP equipment certainly costs money, it is important that you look at this as a long-term investment. By adhering to CPAP therapy, you can lower your risk for hospital readmission for pre-existing health conditions, and reduce your likelihood of developing more serious medical conditions that would be far more expensive than CPAP treatment. By improving your sleep quality and your overall health, you’ll ultimately be able to save a lot of money in the long run.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with trying to save money when buying that essential CPAP equipment in the first place — and No Insurance Medical Supplies can help! We offer a wide range of CPAP and BiPAP machines at discounted prices off of MSRP, as well additional parts such as masks, tubing, and filters. In addition to our best price guarantee, you can also enjoy free shipping on all orders of $99 and up, and financing is available on orders of $500 or more.
Buying necessary CPAP equipment doesn’t have to break the bank. With No Insurance Medical Supplies, you can save money now, while also having peace of mind knowing that using a CPAP machine will help you save even more in the future.